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Internet of Things (IoT)

Internet
of Things (IoT)

Although the
Internet of Things i.e. IoT seem to be a hot topic in industry today, it dates
back to 2000 when Kevin Ashton, one of the pioneers of IoT, at MIT’s AutoID lab
laid the foundation for it. He explored the way RFID could be linked to
internet. He believed that objects in everyday life can communicate to each
other and can be controlled by a computer if they were identified and outfitted
with wireless connectivity1.

IoT can be defined as association of
physical devices having embedded technology to converse and sense and/or
intermingle with their internal states and/or the external environment. It seems IoT will
enable things to be connected on demand anytime, everywhere, with anything. The
IoT shall provide solutions based on the integration of hardware and software
i.e. information technology to store, retrieve, and process data via
communication of electronic systems between individuals or groups.

The fast convergence
of information and communications technology is taking place at three layers of
technology innovation: the cloud, data and communication networks, and devices.

It will be
appropriate to understand building blocks (that simultaneously operate and communicate
with each other) of IoT, illustrated in Figure 1a below:

A number of
technology enablers such as cheap sensors, bandwidth, processing, smart-phones
wireless coverage, big data and IPv6 (the latest version of the Internet Protocol
(IP) standard)
will lead to billions of IoT connected devices reality soon. Cisco’s Internet of
Things Group (IOTG) predicts there will be over 50 billion connected devices by
20203.

The journey of evolution of IoT is interesting i.e.
from human to human up to machine to machine via worldwide web and internet of
services (e-commerce) followed by people (social media).

By 2019, the global IoT market is
forecast to be valued at more than 1.7 trillion U.S. dollars by Statista4

IoT is one of the most broadly discussed technological
perceptions in today’s technology circles and is expected to radically change
how we work as well as how we live. The technology required for controlling IoT
devices going down while internet connectivity through smart-phones is
increasing will lead to IoT as an all persistent technology in the coming next
10 years.